Internal-combustion engine



June 22 1926.

ifi fifii K. L.. S--3ERRMANN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed August 12, 1925 2 Sheets-5heet l 4 mln'fammwm ENVENTOR TOEY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed August 12, 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY d Patented June 22,

UNITED STATES Pr tTENT QFFECE.

KARL nEnRMAnuor DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Assrenon TO THE s rnnnnannn con;- ronerrron, or sou'rn BEND, INDIANA. A co'arona'rrou on NEW JERSEY.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed. August 12, 1925. Serial No. 49,758.

This invention relates to the lubrication of internal combustion engines and more particularly to the constriuction of oil strainers often used in connection therewith.

It is the practice in internal combustion engines to pump oil from a reservoir, other wise known as the crankcase, to the bearin of the various movable members and to ai low the oil afterpassing therethrough to drain back into the crankcase. In making this passage the oil picks up considerable sediment such as dirt drawn in through the breather tube, steel dust, line extremely hard carbon particles and the like, which in most engines is kept constantly agitated, by the force of the fall of oil into the crankcase thereby causing it to be continually flowing with the oil to the bearings and between the pistons and cyclinder walls, increasing the dangers of greater wear, scored cylinder walls, and burned out bearings due to clog ging up of the pipe lines and ini'creased friction.

Some engines do embody the use of a screen or strainer positioned in the crankcase, into which the oil flows by gravity from a splash pan positioned above. This does not prevent the oil when the flow is great enough to overflow the strainer from carrying the agitated sediment over the top thereof into the crankcase where it is again picked up by the pump, and has practically no effect on those particles small enough to pass through the screen.

Vith be above in view, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an internal combustion engine embodying the use of an oil strainer with means for preventing the lubricating oil from carrying particles of sediment with it in instances when the flow is great enough to cause the oil to overtlmv the top of the strainer, and to isolate, as far as possible, these particles of sediment or foreign matter which are small enough to pass through the screen.

Aimther object is to provide an oil strainer for an internal combustion engine with a bal'l'le member to dampen the effect of turbulence of the oil flowing thereinto from the splash pan, thereby inducing precipitation of the sediment and tending to prevent its subsequent clogging of the strainer screen and the carrying of the finer particles through the screen. I

A further object is to provide an internal combustion engine with an oil straining device connn'ising an outer screen and an inner screen of smaller diameter supported on a funnel-shaped member also contained within the outer screen, the whole of which is posi tioned over a sediment pocket in the bottom of the engine crankcase, and into which oil from the bearings and other parts flows after being used. 7

These being among the objects of the present invention the same consists of certain features of construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view. Y

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view taken longitudinally through the lower partof an internal combustion engine showing the oil strainer and oil splash pan construction of the present invention in combination therewith.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the oil strainer showing the methodof supporting the inner screen and the funnel shaped baffle.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top view of the oil splash pan, oil strainer, oil feed pipe and deflector member shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4-. is a partial view taken transversely throughthe engine on the line l-%l of Figure 1, a portion of the oil strainer being broken away to show the inner construction thereof.

In Figures 1 and l, a portion of an internal combustion engine is shown as having a crankcase 1t), crankshaft l1, bearings 12 and connecting rodsl3. Positioned within the crankcase is an oil tray or splash pan 1awhich is slightly dish-shaped inform and is provided at one end with an aperture 15 having downwardly sloping or funnelshaped sides 16. It is suitably held in fixed. position by means ofits upwardly extending peripheral flange 17 which is sprung into place in the outwardly projecting bead 18 formed around the sides and ends of the crankcase 10. v

The lubricating oi'l'is circulated by means of a suitable pump or other device (not E as shown) which draws the oil up from the reservoir 19 formed by the crankcase 10, through the pipe 20 and forms it into the main bearings 12 and other working parts, from which it drips r passes down to the splash pan let and flows down through the aperture 15 into the reservoir 19.

Removably secured to the bottom oi the crankcase directly below the aperture in the splash pan 1-1 by screw bolts 21, is 2 cover plate 22 forming a relatively deep sediment pocket 22 provided with a narrow annular groove 23 in its upper face.

As previously stated, the oil in flowii'ig through the various working parts of the engine accumulates considerable sediment which at times is extremely hazardous to the bearings, the cylinder walls and the pipe lines, thereby causing greater wear, burned out bearings and scored cylinder walls. To overcome these diliiculties the present inven tion has been provided which comprises a cylindrical screen 24 which seats and is secured in the groove 23 in the plate 22 and extends upwardly adjacent to the bottom of the splash pan l-l: and circumterentiall spaced from the sloping side walls 16 ot the aperture 15. Circumterentially posilioned within and substantially midway in the screen 24- is a funnel-shaped sheet metal. haflle member 25 supported by a number of spaced legs 26 which rest on the top sin-taco of the cover plate 22 antL are suitably secured to the screen 24 to support the battle member in spaced relation to the sides of the screen 24 and the cover plate 22. Centrally positioned within the screen 24; and seating on the outwardly flanged horizontal portion of the member 25, is an inner cylindrical screen 27, of smaller diameter and ot pref erably coarser mesh than the screen 2 lhav ing an outwardly tapered upper portion which rests firmly against the outside conical. face of the wall 16 ot the aperture 15 and which terminates in horizontally outwardly extending flange portion which engages the upper edge of the screen 2i.

To prevent oil from flowing through the opening 28 in the splash pan 1 through which the oil pipe extends into the reservoir '19, a deflector member 29 is provided to cause the oil to flow therearound.

In operation the level of the oil. in the crank-case is preferably about midway be tween the upper edge of the baffle and the top ol the screen 24. When the engine is running the flow of oil from the splash pan 14 through the opening 15 causes the level of the oil in the screens 27 and 24 to rise. thereby creating a head on the oil with in the screens 27 and 24 which forces it through the same and out into the oil pan where it is ready to be again picked up by the suction pipe 20 and be carried back to the bearings. As the flow of oil through the opening 15 increases, the force oi? the tlow tends to agitate the oil within the screen and were any sediment unduly exposed to this agitating or tuburlent etl'ect ol' the oil the tendency would be to carry it to tile screens and deposit it thereon, or. it it was small enoi n to carry it through i he screens. The inner screen 2. and the ballie is pro vided. to prevent this result, ard as the sedi nient laden oil pours through the owning l 5 it strikes the battle which substantially prevents any 'turther downward movement and dcli' :ts it back pward against the screen 2 thus causing a certain amount ot turbulence, as t screen 2. is oi relatively large area, and of relatively large mesh, most 0! the oil will pass illiil'tiilll'OHQll into the space between the screen 27 and the screen During this stage oi the oil circulation a certain amount ol? the sedinu-ui will be precipitated on to the downwardly sloping walls of the battle 25 and will work dcrwniar-dly towards its lower central open-- 5 will be carried therethrough by c and more restricted low ot oil pa -11 g 1 the opening 30. filter this sediment carlying oil has passed through the opening 30 to the pocket 22 below the ballie- 25 is will no longer be affected by the tar-- bulency ot the oil above the ballle 2:7,arul will become comparatively still and undisturbed, thereby creating an ideal condition 1'? precipitation of the sediment which will drop to the bottom of the pocket where it will remain undisturbed and will not be thereaiter altected by any material. turbulency which would tend to pick it up again and return it to the circulating oil.

The flow ot the oil that passes through the screen 2'7 will also be reduced as it enters .he cnlare'ed area bounded by the screen 24-.

through the screen 27 the turbulent effect will be substantially diu'iinished. This will allow any sediment that has been carried through the screen 27 to precipitate and drop down into the pocket 22 where, as before described, the oil is comparatively still and undisturbed, and from which there is little possibility that it will again be picked up and carried into the circulating system. The oil, then, that finally passes out. through the screen 2st into the oil pan 10 will be substantially iree oi' any sediment. From time to time, as the occasion deu'iauds or the opportunity periuits, the cover plate may be removed and the sediment cleaned out of the pocket 22.

In er-ztreinely cold weather in starting, the oil is very apt to be thick and heavy and will not readily llow through the screens 2%- and 2'? and in this case it will back up into the splash pan i l and flow dowii through the opening 28 around the pipe 20 until it is warmed up sufficiently to Flow through the screens 2%- and 27.

lid

From the foregoing description it can be plainly seen that such an oil strainer will be very ellicient in isolating the sediment from the lubricating oil and thereby provides a very efficient and desirable construction.

Formal changes may be made in the spe cil'ic embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invent-ion, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan and a splash pan, of an oil strainer mounted on said oil pan for receiving oil from said splash pan comprising inner and outer vertically ex tending spaced screen members, a perforated 'lunnel-shaped baflle closing the lower end of said inner screen, and a sediment pocket positioned below said battle and said inner screen.

In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan and a splash pan, of an oil strainer for receiving oil to be strained from said splash pan con'iprising inner and outer vertically extending spaced screen members, a battle provided with a relatively small central opening closing the lower end of said inner screen, means for spacing said bafl'le from the bottom of said oil pan, and a sediment pocket positioned below said opening.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan having a sediment pocket and a splash pan, of an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan comprising an outer screen positioned over said sediment pocket, a perforated baliie member within said screen, legs for supporting the same therein, and an inner screen supported by said baiile member.

4-. In combination with an internal combustion engine having an oil pan and an oil a d-ash pan, an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan comprising outer and inner vertically spaced screen members, a sheet metal baffle member provided with a relatively small central opening, and a plurality of legs extending upwardly from the bottom of said oil pan to support and hold said battle in spaced relation thereto.

In an internal combustion engine, the con'ibination with an oil pan, of an oil strainer to strain the oil used by said engine coimgrising vertically extending inner and outer screen members, a sheet metal baflie member provided with downwardly eonverging side walls terminating in a relative ly small central opening closing the lower end of said inner screen, and a sediment pocket positioned below said opening to catch sediment precipitating out of said oil.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan and a splash pan provided with a discharge opening having downwardly flanged edges, of an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan through said opening comprising inner and outer vertical screen members, said inner screen member contacting against said flanged edges of said opening and said outer screen spaced around but out of contact with said flanged edges.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan a splash pan provided with a discharge opening having downwardly flanged edges, of an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan through said opening, comprising outer and inner vertically extending screen members and a perforated baffle member, said outer screen extending around and out of contact with said flanged edges of said opening, and said inner screen cont-acting against said edges and flanging outwardly to contact with and be secured to the upper edge of said outer screen.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan and a splash pan, of an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan comprising inner and outer vertically extending spaced screen members and a perforated sheet metal baffle member closing the lower end of said inner screen, an opening in the bottom of said oil pan below said screens, and a cover for said opening providing a relatively deep sediment pocket.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with an oil pan and a splash pan, of an oil strainer for receiving oil from said splash pan comprising inner and outer vertical screens and a baffle member having sloping sides and a central opening, posi tioned below and contacting with said inner screen, an opening in said oil pan below said baffle member, and a cap for said opening, said screens and baflie being removable through said opening as a unit.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A., this 7th day of August, 1925.

KARL L. HERRMANN. 

